Deaths Resulting From Shoplifting Incidents | J. Patrick Murphy

Shoplifting is a blight upon retailers. Shoplifting is responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars in loss to retailers annually. This crime is also firmly entrenched in organized crime that feeds stolen merchandise around the world. The daily risks involved are high stakes.

This information primarily intended for Loss Prevention personnel and store personnel who make apprehensions. The information is anecdotal at best and is intended as awareness to a growing problem. There are no published statistics, even through OSHA, that quantify injuries to store personnel. There is no body of work that accumulates data regarding deaths or serious injury in shoplifter related incidents. These events do happen and with unfortunate frequency.

This summary is ongoing and does not focus on any particular retailer. We do not have any method to determine the accuracy of any content of the articles herein. We have offered no professional opinion regarding of these cases. However, as readily apparent, when a shoplifter dies as a result of an apprehension made by so called “store security”, litigation is sure to follow.

Observations:

Death by asphyxiation where suspect is restrained in a manner that does not allow them to breathe.

Death by agent/employee attempting to make apprehension of a person in a moving vehicle.

Deadly force by Police and armed contract security guards (death of guards) gives insight into the violent nature of apprehensions.

Police officer deaths: 2.

Wal Mart Greeters: 2.

Not included in this list are deaths attributed to police chases of shoplifters.

Serious injuries far outreach the number of deaths and the use of Tasers and chemical sprays (Mace) is growing in frequency by shoplifters.